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SPSCommerce Testing for Loblaws

One of my clients must add the 856/ASN document and UCC-128 label to their current EDI setup. Testing has been outsourced to SPSCommerce. I thought it would be interesting to track each step. Just less than 4 weeks to implement... Shouldn't be a problem.
May 5 09:28 Finally receive an email from SPS stating that our testing process has begun. The Compliance Date is 5/29/2009. They also state that some test data has been sent.
May 6 16:30 Remote connection to client to look for incoming test documents. Nothing. Used the browser on their system (a mistake) to start an online chat session with GXS. Gave GXS the document info (via online chat) and then the remote connection died. Client office is now closed ;-(
May 7 02:05 SPS sends an email asking about the missing 997 for their test document. Email includes control numbers.
May 7 06:45 Received an email from GXS stating that they searched for the test data and did not find anything.
May 7 07:39 Client read the email from SPS and then forwarded it to me asking about the missing test documents.
May 7 09:30 I called GXS to check again, since SPS had control numbers, something didn't make sense. GXS finds the documents! but tells me that SPS had not setup the relationship between them and my client.
May 7 09:48 I sent an email to SPS Commerce requesting that they contact GXS and take care of the problem.
May 7 14:04 SPS emailed us saying that the data was sent to GXS and the problem is on the GXS side. We now have a Mailbag number.
May 7 15:14 Called GXS to check status. They say document is waiting 'Owner' approval. Who is 'Owner'? Nice 'on-hold' music. Now GXS is saying that the 'Owner' is us ;-) I asked why they didn't mention this when I called in the morning. No reply. I told them that I was approving the connection. Back on-hold again. I'm going to start tracking the on-hold minutes.
May 7 15:32 Emailed SPS requesting that the test docs be resent.
May 8 11:08 Email from SPS saying that docs have been resent.
May 12 10:00 Found test POs. Client seems to have supplied an incorrect GTIN to SPS. Checksum does not match. While working on the Pallet mapping, I noticed that the example and spec do not match for the PO4 segment. I re-check the online specs and they are now updated! Original spec was dated 3/27/2009. New version is dated 5/11/2009. Has an added example with an incorrect N4 segment, and the PO4 segment is still wrong. I notified SPS by email and filed a case online.
May 12 23:59! SPS is working late. Received email clarifying structure of ASN. They also mentioned that the example is NOT provided by them.
May 13 ??:?? FInally sent out an initial test ASN.
May 14 14:00 Meeting with client to review label printing and pallet loading procedures.
May 14 22:35 No response on test ASN. Sent email requesting status.
May 15 11:23 ASN failed on Element 355 in multiple segments (TD1, SN1)
May 15 14:31 Sent email to SPS requesting revised test POs. Qtys were too small to generate pallets and UM was incorrect. (They sent EA, but s/b CA)
May 18 10:12 SPS will resend revised test POs.
May 21 01:26 Sent updated ASN with multiple pallets and correct TD1 UM.
May 21 ??:?? ASN passed.
May 22 09:00 Received email from SPS notifying me that the compliance date is approaching. Email was sent at 23:37. Must be working from home.
May 22 10:00 Made revisions to UCC-128 labels for single SKU and multiple SKUs. Client sent samples via courier to SPS for verification.
May 28 09:00 Received notification that Client is compliant! Hallelujah! Next!